Words Are Silver
by The Anonymous Forgot my name
Summary: TFP. And sometimes silver is the more precious metal. One-shot, post-"Predacons Rising".


**Despite the play on words, this story is completely separate from my previous fic, "Silence Is Golden".**

**Major spoilers for "Predacons Rising". Read at own risk.**

**Transformers Prime is owned by Hasbro.**

* * *

She heard the lumbering sound of heavy footsteps behind her, and it was only very recently she had been able to identify the specific footfalls by sound alone.

The steps ceased. "Hey," a voice called.

"Hey." There was a moment of silence before she turned her head to look at him. "Is something wrong?"

"Nope," he shrugged. "Just wondering where you disappeared to." Another silence passed. Finally, he nodded next to where she stood on the ledge. "Mind some company?"

Arcee looked to the spot indicated and cursed inwardly. She wanted to be alone, but what she said was "No, not really," and he sat down next to her. After a moment, she sat down too, letting her legs fall over the edge. She said nothing, and neither did he.

She began to regret her decision as the silence stretched on. She tried her best to ignore the Wrecker's looks as she kept her gaze on the Well below. More than once, he opened his mouth as if to say something, but the silence continued.

Finally, it got to her. Her gaze turned into a glare she directed towards her unwanted companion. "Did you want something, Wheeljack?"

He'd admit to himself- -if no one else- -that the glare did startle him, causing the experienced veteran to jerk back a bit at its intensity. It wasn't the first time Arcee had been angry with him, but it was the first time he couldn't just shrug it off.

"No! No, I just..." It wasn't like him to be nervous, but here he was, stumbling along. "I...should get going."

He stood up so quickly it nearly startled her. He took a few steps and had all but transformed when Arcee's voice behind him made him pause.

"No."

He glanced behind him quizzically. "'No,' what?"

Arcee sighed. The glare had faded into a sadness in her eyes that tore at him, which was a curious new feeling. "Don't go. I need the company."

"Oh." And after a moment, he turned and sat down once more. He mimicked her position of draping his legs over the edge, only to watch as a moment later she moved to bring her knees up to her chest.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," she said quietly, her gaze back onto the wonderful abyss below.

Wheeljack grunted. _That_ was putting it mildly.

But he didn't say as much. Instead, he said gently "Prime doesn't want us to mourn him. He said as much."

A smile almost graced her features. "I know." Her arms moved to wrap themselves around her frame. Arcee sighed once more, turning her head to face him. "I'm just sick of losing the ones I care about."

The blue of Wheeljack's optics widened a fraction. "You mean you..." He trailed off as she looked back into the Well of All Sparks.

"Yeah. I think I did."

"Oh." There was nothing else he could say. Except, "Did you ever tell him?"

"No. How could I? There were more important things to focus on."

She had him there.

"But," Arcee continued, hugging her legs closer to her, "I just sort of thought..."

"...That with Cybertron restored, you might have told him?"

"Yeah."

Now Wheeljack sighed. "Arcee, I'm sorry."

She stared at him, resting her helm on the backs of her knees. He couldn't understand what her look meant. There was nothing more to be said, and Wheeljack soon lost all track of time.

Until Arcee suddenly stood up.

"We should be getting back," she said briskly. "The others will start to worry."

He quickly followed her up. "Yeah."

He was ready to shift into his alt-mode, but was again stopped by Arcee- -this time, by a brief touch to his arm.

"Hey, Wheeljack?"

He gazed down at her. "Yeah?"

This time, she did smile. "Thanks for listening."

Before Wheeljack could respond, Arcee transformed and started driving away. He quickly followed suit, and they raced back to the others, unaware that the first new life of Cybertron was currently making its way up through the Well of All Sparks.

* * *

**Sigh. With my favorite ship sunk, and another one (Ratchet/Wheeljack) having gone nowhere, might as well board a new sailboat.**


End file.
